Novelty loose string ball assembly and its associated method of manufacture

ABSTRACT

A novelty loose string ball assembly having a multitude of long string elements that extend from opposite sides of a narrow central hub. The loose string ball assembly is created by fabricating a rolled structure that contains a string ribbon. The string ribbon has a central band and a plurality of long string elements that extend from opposite edges of the central band. The rolled structure is created by rolling the first string ribbon up along the central band. Adhesive is deposited along the central band that prevents the rolled structure from unraveling. Secondary string ribbons can be added to the rolled structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

In general, the present invention relates to bound clumps of string ofsimilar strands, therein producing a loose string ball. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to the structure of noveltyloose string ball assemblies and the manners in which they arefabricated.

2. Prior Art Description

There are many balls, such as baseballs, that are primarily made from awound length of string. Typically, such balls have a covering thatprevents the wound string from fraying or otherwise becoming unwound. Inthe case of a baseball, the ball of string is covered in a stitchedrawhide cover. However, toy manufacturers have often purposely createdballs of string where the strings are exposed. Having exposed string ona ball makes a ball easier to catch. Exposed strings also limit thespeed of flight of a thrown ball and prevent a ball from bouncing onimpact. All of these features are desirable for particular types ofgames.

A well known example of a loose string ball is the Koosh® ball, which isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,529 to Stillinger, entitled GenerallySpherical Object With Floppy Filaments To Promote Sure Capture. TheKoosh® ball has a multitude of elastomeric filaments that emanate from acommon core to produce a ball. Within the core of the Koosh® ball, allthe filaments are physically tied together. This makes the ball verycomplicated to manufacture. Each of the filaments must be separatelymanufactured and precisely bound together to form a uniform ball. Thiscomplicated manufacturing process requires complex and expensivemachinery to accomplish on a mass scale. Accordingly, such loose stringballs are expensive to produce. Furthermore, the longer the strands usedin the loose string ball, the more complex it becomes to create theloose string ball. Loose string balls are therefore typicallymanufactured with relatively short loose strings.

A need therefore exists for a new manner in which a loose string ballcan be manufactured, without requiring that the loose strings be tiedtogether. Furthermore, a need exists for a new manner of inexpensivelycreating a loose string ball with long strings. These needs are met bythe present invention as described and claimed below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a novelty loose string ball assembly having amultitude of long string elements that extend from opposite sides of anarrow central hub.

The loose string ball assembly is created by fabricating a rolledstructure. The rolled structure contains at least a first string ribbon.The first string ribbon has a first central band and a first pluralityof long string elements that extend from opposite edges of the firstcentral band. The rolled structure is created by rolling the firststring ribbon up along the first central band. Adhesive is depositedalong the first central band that prevents the rolled structure fromunraveling.

Secondary string ribbons can be added to the rolled structure. Thesecondary string ribbons can be stacked atop the first string ribbon,prior to rolling. Alternatively, the secondary string ribbons can bewound around the first string ribbon after it is rolled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is madeto the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof,considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention loose string ball assembly;

FIG. 2 is a partially assembled perspective view of a first exemplaryloose string ball assembly;

FIG. 3 is a partially assembled perspective view of a second exemplaryloose string ball assembly; and

FIG. 4 is a partially assembled perspective view of a third exemplaryloose string ball assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the present invention novelty loose string ball can be madefrom many string materials, such as cotton string, yarn, monofilamentplastic string and the like, the present invention is particularly wellsuited for use in making loose string ball assemblies out of elastomericgel material. Accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment of the inventionthat is presented, the loose string elements used in the creation of theball assembly are comprised of elastomeric gel. It should be understoodthat the selection of such material is only to present one of the bestmodes contemplated for the invention and should not be considered alimitation on the invention as claimed.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of a loosestring ball assembly 10. The loose string ball assembly 10 has amultitude of long string elements 12 that extend outwardly from acentral hub section 14. The long string elements 12 are all preferablymade from an elastomeric gel material. Accordingly, each of the longstring elements 12 is highly elastic and can be stretched to much longerlengths without breaking. The elastomeric gel material is preferably atri-block copolymer material mixed with plasticizing oil. Severalformulations for elastomeric gel are commonly used in the toy industryfor a variety of novelty items.

The long string elements 12 are highly flexible and readily bend undertheir own weight. The long string elements 12 extend from the centralhub section 14 only from two opposites sides 15, 16 of the central hubsection 14. As the long string elements 12 enter the central hub section14, they are all parallel. The bending, twisting and dangling of thelong string elements 12 is caused by their small cross-sectional areaand long length. Preferably, the long string elements 12 have across-sectional area of between one and three square millimeters.Furthermore, the long string elements 12 have a length of between tenand twenty-five centimeters.

Depending upon the size and shape of the long string elements 12,preferably between fifty and five hundred long string elements 12 extendfrom each side 15, 16 of the central hub section 14. With this number oflong string elements 12, it will be understood that long string elements12 from one side of the central hub section 14 will inevitably be bentbackward to the opposite side of the central hub section 14. The foldingof the long string elements 12 covers the central hub section 14 andoften prevents the central hub section 14 from being viewed as the loosestring ball assembly 10 is manipulated.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an exemplary method of fabricating the loosestring ball assembly is shown. In a first step, a string ribbon 20 isprovided. The string ribbon 20 is a generally two-dimensional structurethat is either made by injection molding or from the stamp cutting of aflat sheet of material. The string ribbon 20 has a solid central band 22that extends along the length of the string ribbon 20. Individual longstring elements 12 extend away from the solid central band 22 along bothof its long edges. The solid central band 22 and the long stringelements 12 are unistructurally made from the same material, beingeither molded or cut as a single piece. The solid central band 22 has anarrow width. The long string elements 12 have a length that is at leastten times longer than the width of the solid central band 22.

Adhesive 26 is applied to the top of the solid central band 22 along itsentire length. The string ribbon 20 is then tightly wound into a rollstructure 28. As the string ribbon 20 is wound, the adhesive binds andholds the string ribbon 20 into the rolled structure 28.

Depending upon the length of the solid central band 22 in the stringribbon 20, only one string ribbon 20 may need to be glued and rolled tocreate the present invention loose string ball assembly 10. However, itis preferred that more than one string ribbon be used. By using morethan one string ribbon, string ribbons of different colors can be usedtogether.

Referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that multiple string ribbons 20A,20B can be joined together. In a first technique, the different stringribbons 20A, 20B are placed flat atop each other like cards in a deck ofcards. The string ribbons 20A, 20B have the same structure as has beenpreviously described, having solid central bands 22 and long stringelements 12 that extend from the solid central bands 22. The top of onesolid central band 22 is adhesively bonded to the bottom of another. Thestacked string ribbons 20A, 20B are then rolled into the form of theloose string ball assembly.

Referring to FIG. 4, another method of manufacture is described. In thistechnique, a first string ribbon 20 is wound into a roll structure 28. Asecond string ribbon 30 is then rolled around the roll structure 28created by the wound first string ribbon element 20. The result is aloose string ball assembly contains multiple string ribbons 20, 30 thatmay or may not be the same.

In FIG. 4 it can be seen that the long string elements 12 on the firststring ribbon 20 are different in shape than the long string elements 32on the second string ribbon 30. On the first string ribbon 20, the longstring elements 12 are straight. In the second string ribbon 30, thelong string elements 32 have a meandering zigzag shape. Such aconfiguration is elected to illustrate that the long string elements 12,32 on the different string ribbons 20, 30 can vary in shape, color,length and/or material.

Returning to FIG. 1, it will be understood that regardless of whichmethod of manufacture is selected, the same end product is created. Theend product is a loose string ball assembly 10 having a narrow centralhub section 14 and a multitude of long string elements 12 that extendout of the sides of the narrow central hub section 14. The long stringelements 12 are highly flexible and dangle down straight under the forceof their own weight.

It will be understood that the loose string ball assemblies that havebeen illustrated are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in theart can make many variations to those embodiments. For example, thesize, shape, length, color and material of the long string elements area matter of design choice. Furthermore, how many long string elementsare present in the loose string ball assembly can be varied widely. Allsuch variations, modifications and alternate embodiments are intended tobe included within the scope of the present invention as defined by theclaims.

1. A novelty assembly, comprising: a rolled structure containing a firststring ribbon, said first string ribbon containing a first central bandand a first plurality of long string elements that extend from oppositeedges of said first central band, wherein said first string ribbon isrolled along said first central band; and adhesive deposited along saidfirst central band that prevents said first string ribbon fromunrolling.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said firstcentral band and said first plurality of long string elements of saidfirst string ribbon are unistructurally formed as a single piece.
 3. Theassembly according to claim 2, wherein said first string ribbon iscomprised of elastomeric material.
 4. The assembly according to claim 1,wherein said first central band has a predetermined width and said firstplurality of long string elements have a length at least ten timeslonger than said predetermined width.
 5. The assembly according to claim1, further including a second string ribbon, said second string ribboncontaining a second central band and a second plurality of long stringelements that extend from opposite edges of said second central band. 6.The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said second string ribbon isrolled around said first string ribbon.
 7. The assembly according toclaim 5, wherein said second string ribbon is rolled with said firststring ribbon into said rolled structure.
 8. The assembly according toclaim 5, wherein said second plurality of long string elements arevisibly distinguishable from said first plurality of long stringelements within said rolled structure.
 9. A method of fabricating anovelty device, said method comprising the steps of: providing a firststring ribbon that contains a plurality of long string elements thatextend from a common central band; applying adhesive to at least part ofsaid common central band; and rolling up said common central band,therein forming said first string ribbon into a rolled structure. 10.The method according to claim 9, further including the step of providinga second string ribbon.
 11. The method according to claim 10, furtherincluding the step of rolling said second string ribbon around saidfirst string ribbon.
 12. The method according to claim 10, furtherincluding the step of adhesively bonding said second string ribbon tosaid first string ribbon and rolling both said first string ribbon andsaid second string ribbon into said rolled structure.
 13. The methodaccording to claim 10, wherein said second string ribbon contains asecond plurality of long string elements that are visuallydistinguishable from said plurality of long string elements on saidfirst string ribbon.
 14. The method according to claim 9, wherein saidcentral band and said plurality of long string elements of said firststring ribbon are unistructurally formed as a single piece.
 15. Themethod according to claim 14, wherein said first string ribbon iscomprised of elastomeric material.